(c) =Battle sight.= By _battle sight_ we mean the position of the rear sight with the leaf down. There is a sighting notch on the top of the leaf, or rather on top of the leaf slide which works up and down the leaf.

The battle sight is the only sight used in _rapid fire_. In unexpected, close encounters the side that first opens a rapid and accurate fire has a great advantage over the other. Again, a soldier on patrol generally has no time to set his sight, if suddenly attacked at close range. The battle sight, may, therefore be called the _emergency sight_,--the _handy_, _quick sight_. The soldier should, therefore, become thoroughly familiar with the use of this sight.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 12

_Battle sight_]

The _sighting notch_ in the slide with the rear sight leaf down, is the same height as is the sighting in the drift slide when the rear sight leaf is raised and set at 530 yards.

That is to say, _battle sight_ is equivalent to a sight setting of 530 yards. Therefore, in shooting with battle sight at objects nearer than 530 yards you must aim lower.

Kinds of Sight

=1353.= (Amount of front sight taken)

(a) =Normal sight.= The amount of front sight taken in Figs. 6 and 8, is called the _normal_ sight and is the one that the soldier should always use, either with the open notch or peep sight, as it is the only sight which a.s.sures the taking of the same amount of front sight every time. In other words it a.s.sumes a greater degree of _uniformity_ in sighting, which is one of the most important factors in shooting.

By uniformity in sighting is meant taking the same amount of sight each time.

If you take _less_ than the amount of front sight used in the normal sight, it will, of course, have the effect of _lowering_ the muzzle of the piece, and consequently you will hit a point _lower_ than if you had used the normal sight.

On the other hand, if you take _more_ than the amount of front sight used in the normal sight, it will, of course, have the effect of raising the muzzle and consequently you will hit a point _higher_ than if you had used the normal sight.

(b) =Fine sight.= Although occasionally a man will be found who can get good results by using the fine sight, the average man cannot, and this form of sighting is, therefore, to be avoided.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 13

_Fine sight_]

(c) =Full sight.= The so-called _full sight_ must be avoided under all circ.u.mstances. It is merely mentioned and shown here to point out a fault that must be carefully avoided.

The objections to its use are the same as in the case of the fine sight,--that is, lack of uniformity in the amount of sight taken.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 14

_Full sight_]

=1354. What the rifleman looks at when he fires.= The eye can be focused accurately upon objects at only one distance at a time; all other objects we see will be more or less blurred and fuzzy looking, depending upon their distance from the object upon which our eye is focused.

The rifleman who attains proficiency _focuses his eye on the target while aiming_, but he glances at one sight and then the other to see that they are aligned properly, then back at the target, and at the instant of discharge _his eye is on the target_.

Preliminary Drills

=1355. Sighting, Position and Aiming Drills.= The importance of the following sighting, position and aiming drills cannot be overestimated. If they are carefully practiced, before firing a single shot at a target, you will have learned how to aim your piece correctly, hold your rifle steadily, squeeze the trigger properly, a.s.sume that position best adapted to the particular conformation of your body, and you will also have acquired the quickness and manual skill required for handling the piece in rapid fire.

The sighting, position and aiming drills teach the fundamental principles of shooting, which are the foundation upon which marksmanship is built.

_Do not confine yourself to going through these drills only during drill hours, but go through them frequently at other times. The extent to which it will improve your shooting will more than repay you for your trouble._

Sighting Drills

=1356. Object.= The objects of the sighting drill are:

1. To show how to bring the rear sight, the front sight and the target into the same line,--that is, to show how to sight properly.

2. To discover and point out errors in sighting.--in other words, to discover the errors you make in sighting and show the reasons for same, so that you may be able to correct them properly.

3. To teach uniformity in sighting,--that is, to teach you how to take the same amount of sight each time,--to see every time the same amount of front sight when you look through the rear sight.

=Sighting rest for rifle.= A good sighting rest for a rifle may be made by removing the top from an empty pistol ammunition box, or a similar box, and then cutting notches in the ends of the box to fit the rifle closely. (Fig. 15.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 15]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 16]

Place the rifle in these notches with the trigger guard close to and outside one end.

At a convenient distance above the ground fasten a blank sheet of paper on a wall or on a plank nailed to a stake driven into the ground.

Three legs are fastened to the rest (or it may be placed on the ground without any legs), which is placed 20 or 30 feet from the blank sheet of paper.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 17]

Make sure that the piece is canted neither to the right nor left, and without touching the rifle or rest, sight the rifle near the center of the blank sheet of paper (Fig. 17.)

Changes in the line of sight are made by changing the elevation and windage.

A soldier acting as marker is provided with a pencil and a small rod bearing at one end a small piece of white cardboard, with a black bull's eye pierced in the center with a hole just large enough to admit the point of a lead pencil.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 18]

The soldier sighting directs the marker to move the disk to the right, left, higher, or lower, until the line of aim is established when he commands, "Mark," or "Hold."

At the command "Mark," being careful not to move the disk, the marker records through the hole in the center the position of the disk and then withdraws it.

At the command "Hold," the marker holds the disk carefully in place without marking, until the position is verified by the instructor, and the disk is not withdrawn until so directed.

=1357. Point of Aim.= Always be sure to aim at a point just below the black bull's-eye,--that is, aim so that there will be a fine line of light between the bottom of the bull's-eye and the-top of the front sight (Fig. 19). This is important to insure uniformity in sighting,--that is, in order to make sure that you aim at the same place on the target each time. If the top of the front sight touches the bottom of the bull's-eye it is impossible to say just how much of the front sight is seen, and how far up into the bull's-eye you are.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 19]

First Sighting Exercise

=1358.= Using the sighting rest for the rifle (Fig. 17) require each man to direct the marker to move the disk until the rifle is directed on the bull's-eye with the _normal_ sight and command, "Hold." If aiming correctly the rear sight, the front sight and the bull's-eye will look as shown in Fig. 19, above.

The instructor then verifies this line of sight. Errors, if any, will be pointed out to the soldier and another trial made. If he is still unable to sight correctly, he will be given as many more trials as may be necessary.